The Best Friends a Girl Could Ask For
by dreamwriter32
Summary: It's Hermione's 17th Birthday and Harry and Ron have forgotten her birthday. It's race against time for Harry and Ron to try to make Hermione's birthday the best one she ever had. Do they succeed? or fail? I don't own Harry Potter.


The Best Friends a Girl Could Ask For

Hermione smiled as she walked down to breakfast. It was her birthday and in the wizarding world she was of age. She was allowed to do magic outside of school. She looked forward to Christmas break so she could legally show her dad everything she learned.

She passed many of her friends and close classmates who waved and said "Happy Birthday Hermione". Professor McGonagall nodded to her. "Happy Birthday Ms. Granger, enjoy your 17th". Hermione thanked her head of house and made her way to the Great Hall.

She found Ginny sitting in their usual spot at Gryffindor table.

"Where are the boys?" Hermione asked Ginny. The younger witch shrugged in reply.

The two girls started fixing their breakfast, waiting in Harry and Ron to show up.

"Happy Birthday Hermione" Ginny said as she handed Hermione a small box.

"Oh Ginny you didn't have to get me anything" Hermione exclaimed.

"I know but you're my best friend, I seen it when we went to Diagon Alley" Ginny explained.

Hermione's reply was cut off by Ron and Harry showing up, looking disheveled.

"Good Morning ladies" Ron mumbled.

"G' Morning Ginny, Good morning Hermione" Harry muttered through a yawn.

"Good Morning boys" both girls said in unison.

Hermione admired the scarf Ginny got her. Harry and Ron were about to ask where it came from when the owls arrived to deliver the morning post. A Snowy white owl, that looked like Hedwig landed next to Hermione.

Hermione took the package off and the owl flew away and Pig landed in front of her.

"Hello Pig, what have you got for me?"

The owl as she took off the package and handed everyone their letter from Molly, Hermione then turned her attention to the package.

"What did Mum send you?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and opened the package from her parents first. She found a pink jewelry box with a card with a cake and candles on it.

Harry and Ron's eyes went wide and they looked at each other with a frighten expression. They forgot Hermione's birthday again.

Hermione reached for the package from Molly and opened it.

"Oh, it's a beautiful necklace" Hermione exclaimed.

Hermione and Ginny was admiring the necklace and jewelry box that they didn't see Harry and Ron's panicked faces. This would make three years in a row they missed her birthday and Hermione would skin them alive if they forgotten another.

"Hermione, we'll be right back, we forgot your gift up in the dorm" Ron said causally.

The two boys calmly got up and left the Great Hall. When they were away from the large double doors, they made a run for it to Gryffindor tower.

When they reached the Fat Lady, they were panting for breath.

"Equinox" Ron told the Fat Lady and she swung open. Harry ran the sixth year boy's dorm and grabbed his invisibility cloak and the marauder's map.

"Let's go". Together the two boys ran to the one eyed witch passageway to Honeydukes.

Harry said the password and they crawled in the hole and ran to opening in Honeydukes cellar.

Under the cloak, Harry and Ron walked up the stairs and out of Honeydukes.

They looked at the different stores and decided to try the jewelry store first.

Pulling off the cloak, Harry and Ron entered the store. They looked around for about fifteen minutes, finding a pair of earrings Ron though she would like and a matching necklace Harry though she would like. They paid for their purchases and left the store.

"Where now?"Ron asked,

They looked down the street and up the street. "Bookstore" they said in unison.

It was no secret Hermione was a bookworm, she was in the library so much that Madam Prince the librarian, knew her well.

They looked around the bookstore, finding a book on NEWTs and a romance book they thought she would like. They paid for the books and left the store.

They were headed back to Honeydukes when Ron said "Reckon Hermione is wondering what's taking us?"

"Maybe she won't notice" Harry replied.

They went in Honeydukes and looked around. They knew Hermione's favorites and got them all.

After making the purchases, they sunk down to the basement and returned to Hogwarts.

Harry looked right and left. When the coast was clear, they ran to Gryffindor tower, deciding to wait until later in the day to give Hermione her presents.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Hermione went to class, smiling when her other friends told her happy birthday. She smiled and thanked them for telling her happy birthday. She wasn't dumb; she knew Harry and Ron forgot her birthday. She trekked up to the sixth year boy's dorm and noticed Harry or Ron wasn't in there. Further investing discovered Harry's invisibility cloak and the marauder's map were gone.

She knew where they went, they went to Hogsmeade. It was nothing for Harry and Ron to sneak out of the castle. The invisibility cloak came in handy when Ron and Harry needed to avoid her. They used it a lot last year when Hermione was barking about OWLs. She shook her head when she recalled how they faked a stomachache to get out of their study sessions.

They remembered her birthday in second year, her first birthday with the boys. They managed to find a picture of Gilderoy Lockhart, which he signed. That and her book were also signed by him as well. Third year was when things went downhill.

They forgot Hermione's birthday and tried to make it up to her by Ron picking up enough candy during a Hogsmeade weekend to last Hermione a year. He got enough for Harry to have to share so he would have something to give to Hermione.

"Nice try" she had told them. They already did enough damage for one birthday.

In the end, Hermione didn't accept all of it and only picked out her favorites, leaving the boys with a pile of candy. They ended up eating it all and woke up on Saturday morning with the worst stomachache neither of them ever had.

Fourth year, Harry and Ron attempted to fix Hermione a birthday cake. They were smart and picked up something for her birthday in Diagon Alley, bribing the twins to keep an eye out for Hermione while they looked for a present for Hermione. If they would have remembered that they already have presents for her, they wouldn't have had to bribe Dobby to allow them into the kitchen. They prepared a cake for Hermione's birthday. Dobby, however, wouldn't due with not helping at all and helped the two boys bake the cake and decorate the cake.

By dinner, Harry and Ron were covered Head to toe in baking powder, flour and cocoa powder. They each had the cake on a tray and carried it to their part of the table.

They sat it down on the table and chimed "Happy Birthday Hermione". Hermione would have forgiven them for that birthday forgotten if Dobby spelled Hermione's name right.

When Harry and Ron looked around to see how Dobby spelled it, her anger took over and she grabbed their heads, slamming them into the cake.

She left the Great Hall fuming.

An hour later, a clean Harry and Ron came in the common room and apologized to Hermione, promising to make it up to her at the next Hogsmeade weekend.

To say both boys tried to get back in good graces with Hermione would be an understatement. She took them up on the offer to make up for forgetting her birthday. They both paid for her lunch and a round of Butterbeer, whatever she picked out at Honeydukes and endured an hour and a half in the bookstore, where they both bought her a book.

By the end of the day, Hermione had forgiven them.

Now, one would think that after the disaster of Hermione's sixteenth birthday, that Ron and Harry would remember it for once.

With all the drama, stress, and craziness going on in fifth year, once again Harry and Ron forgot her birthday.

This time, they borrowed Dean's art kit and made a handmade card, both of them signing it. They went together and got her a scarf that they knew she would like. They had Pig deliver the card and Hedwig the scarf.

Hermione was surprised to see her friend's owls delivering to her instead of their owners. She took what they had and they flew off, not before she petted them on the head. Unfortunately, it rained that morning, thus ruining the card and causing the scarf to shrink.

After lecturing Harry and Ron that once she would like her two best friends to make an effort and not a last resort. She also told them that in no certain terms that they were to join a gift.

When Hermione left, Harry and Ron as one laid their heads on the table. Ron came up with the idea of cooking Hermione's favorite meal. One problem, they didn't know what that was.

After begging and pleading to Ginny, they learned her favorite Hogwarts meal was roasted chicken with vegetables. They went the extra mile and made the meal themselves. They scribbled a note to Hermione, using Hedwig and asked her to meet them in the kitchen.

Hermione arrived and seen the house elves were all busy preparing the evening meal. Dobby let her to a part of the kitchen she didn't know existed.

There was a table with all her favorites and her two best friends. They looked clean and exhausted. It wasn't until they went to eat when they found out what they did wrong. They over cooked the chicken and burned the vegetables.

Hermione stormed out and into the Great Hall where she vented to Ginny. Harry and Ron cleaned up the mess and decided to have Dobby make them a sandwich and they would head off to Gryffindor tower.

When everyone returned from dinner, Ginny grabbed Harry and Ron by the hair and dragged them to their dorm. She told that once they needed to remember Hermione's birthday and not make it a total disaster.

Hermione shook her head as she thought of the boy's attempts to do something nice for her. She noticed she didn't see him in charms, but they made it Transfiguration.

"Where have you been?"

"Um…." They replied.

"Went to Hogsmeade to get my present? Harry I know where you keep the cloak and the map"

Harry went pale under his best friends gaze. Seeing his best mate's face go pale, Ron cut in "Hermione, we're sorry. Would you be so kind to accompany us to the Room of Requirement later?"

"Okay, but you're not off the hook".

Hermione went through her morning classes and then went to lunch. In the afternoon the boys disappeared again. Only she didn't know where they went.

When she returned to her dorm, she found a red dress and red heels sitting on her bed. Puzzled she looked closer and seen two boxes, wrapped in old copies of _The Daily Prophet. _

That was when she found a note. She recognized Ron and Harry's hand writing.

_Hermione,_

_With the help of my dear sister, we picked out this outfit for you to wear tonight._

Hermione looked at the dress and shoes, trying to remember if she had any jewelry that would go with it.

That was when she saw Harry's hand writing

_Open the boxes and you'll find what you're missing. _

_Meet us in the Room of Requirement at seven._

_Harry and Ron_

Hermione picked up the long box and the small box

She decided to see what was in the small box first. It was from Ron.

_Happy 17__th__ Birthday Hermione, enjoy your day, Ron!_

Hermione pulled off the paper and found a small velvet box. She opened and gasped.

She found the most beautiful pair of earrings. They were dangly with a sapphire stone in the middle.

She smiled at the beautiful earrings. She couldn't believe Ron picked them out. She then turned her attention to the other box.

Of course, Harry's gift included a note.

_Happy Birthday Hermione, Enjoy your 17__th__! Harry._

Pulling off the paper, she found a box that was long and either had a bracelet or necklace inside. She opened it, finding a necklace that matched the earrings. She knew she would never get Harry to tell her how much it had cost him.

Setting the box back on her bed, she headed to the bathroom for a shower. It was going on five thirty. She might as well get ready now.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Meanwhile, Ron and Harry where in the Hogwarts kitchen, recreating a favorite Italian dinner of Hermione's, this time, they knew what it was.

Chicken Parmesan with marinara sauce and spaghetti, topped with Parmesan and a garden salad. Harry's years of cooking for the Dursleys came in handy. They even made her favorite red dressing from scratch.

They also made the cake themselves. When Dobby asked if he could help, Harry sent him to the Room of Requirement to set up the table.

If everything went to plan, Hermione's 17th birthday would be the best one.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Hermione walked down the corridor to the Room of Requirement, wondering what the boys were planning.

When she approached, she found Ron standing there waiting on him.

"Happy Birthday Hermione" Ron greeted as he turned the knob on the door and opened the door for her. She walked in and found herself speechless.

She had told the boys about her family's trip to Italy over the summer and how much she had loved Rome. The scene was the Colosseum and it was lit up with the night sky with the stars twinkling.

"Thanks boys, it's perfect". Hermione was in all of what the boys had done for her. She looked at the boys and hugged them both.

"I see you found the earrings and necklace" Ron commented. Hermione hugged and him and kissed his cheek. 

"Thank you for the earrings" she said sincerely. She turned to Harry and hugged him, thanking him for the necklace.

Hermione walked to the table where Ron pulled out her chair and Harry placed her plate in front of her.

"Wow". Hermione was speechless. They fixed her favorite Italian dish. She began to eat as Ron poured her a glass of cider.

"Dobby helped decorate and provided the cider. Harry and I did the rest" Ron explained as he took the seat across from her and Harry to the one to her left.

Ron was in a white button up shirt and Harry was in black. Both wore black pants and shoes. They enjoyed the meal, sharing their favorite memories over the years they had been friends.

"I still can't believe all it took was defeating a mountain troll and the three of us are friends" Hermione said after a while of silence.

After cutting the cake, Ron fixed a candle and lit it while Harry told her to make a wish.

Hermione blew out the candle and smiled. She knew one thing she wanted for her birthday. She smiled at her best friends, but her smile widened when she looked at Ron.

"Here you go" Ron handed her a wrapped package as Harry laid his down next to Ron's.

He explained "Ron and I have some making up to do".

Hermione opened the first package and found a book on NEWTS.

"I thought you would like it, since it's coming up next year" Ron explained.

Hermione smiled and hugged Ron, thanking him for the helpful book.

"I figured you would want to read a book for fun and not something that was educational" Harry said as he handed Hermione his package.

Hermione opened it and found a romance book. _ Meet Me in the Broom Closet, _was a book written about two perfects that began a secret relationship. They would meet in a broom closet where they would let passion take over. Over the course of a year, the two perfects discover they had fallen in love. It was written by a former Hogwarts student and prefect.

Hermione looked at Harry. "You know me so well; I've been wanting this book for ages. How did you know?"

"A little bird told me" Harry informed her. Ginny had told the boys that Hermione had looked at the book in Flourish and Blotts. Harry found it at the bookstore in Hogsmeade.

"Thank you, I love it" Hermione said as she hugged Harry.

There was one bag left and Hermione recognized it from Honeydukes.

"We got you all your favorites" Ron told her.

Hermione opened the bag and indeed, there were all her favorites- Chocoballs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Honeydukes chocolate bars, sugar quills, chocolate wands, and raspberry truffle balls.

"Wow, you both got me all my favorites!"

"Of course" Ron exclaimed.

The three friends sat and talked while eating Hermione's birthday cake. Harry called Dobby and they shared some of the cake with him.

A few hours later, Ron, Harry, and Hermione walked back to Gryffindor tower. After showering and changing into pajamas, they met down in the common room. It was Friday and they usually say up and talk.

"Thanks for one of the best birthdays I ever had" Hermione said to the boys, sincerely.

"You're welcome" Harry told her as he hugged her.

"So, now you can legally do magic" Ron said with a smile.

Hermione then broke out in a big smile, looking at Ron and then at Harry.

"Um, Hermione….you have a crazy look on your face" Ron and Harry slowly backed away from Hermione.

"I'm not going to do anything. I was thinking, my dad will be happy; he's been wanting me to show him what I learned. Now I can".

Harry and Ron let out the breath they were holding, mentally noting that Hermione can do magic legally now, better not get on her bad side.

The three friends sat and talked about their plans, their dreams, and what they want to do after school.

Hermione looked at Harry and then back to Ron. When she first met them, she would have never dreamed being friends with her. Harry was friendly, but sometimes would follow Ron's lead. Ron and her bickered like a married couple and yet she couldn't imagine life without either of them.

They were her boys, her best friends and she wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

They were the best friends a girl could asked for.


End file.
